Do guns save lives?
By Dr. Michael S. Brown
web posted July 8, 2002
"Guns Save Lives" is the fitting title of a book about citizens who
successfully defended themselves with a gun. This is the second
such book by Robert A. Waters, whose first effort, "The Best
Defense," was wildly popular with gun owners and political
activists.
The heart of the book is a collection of stories that Waters
developed after studying police reports, reading news stories and
interviewing actual participants. In spite of the thorough
preparation, this is anything but a reference book. It reads more
like an action novel in which each chapter contains a suspenseful
climax.
Reading all 46 cases in quick succession allows the reader to see
profound patterns in these violent events. The most obvious
common thread is the unfortunate fact that the police can't be
there when you need them and violent assailants often prefer
surprise attacks to prevent victims from calling for help. Even if
you are able to call, terrible events can transpire in the deadly
interval after one dials 911.
Students of the gun will notice an interesting pattern in how many
people successfully defend themselves with tiny weapons, like
.22, .25 and .32 caliber handguns that are often derided by the
anti-gun lobby as "junk guns" and "Saturday night specials." In
many cases however, the marginal stopping power of these little
guns prompt the citizen survivors to purchase something bigger at
the first opportunity.
One interesting example involving small handguns occurred in
1997. A high-strung robber armed with a shotgun attempted to
rob a crowded restaurant. Two customers with permits to carry
a concealed handgun were watching events unfold, each
unaware of the other. The robber became incensed when the
terrified waitress couldn't open the till. Both armed citizens,
fearing the worst, fired simultaneously, each using .22 magnum
revolvers. The robber was hit once. His plan ruined, he ran
outside to the getaway car, breaking his shotgun on the
doorframe as he ran.
This particular robber then demonstrated what appears to be a
common behavior for his species. It seems that many criminals
flee after receiving a minor wound and are later apprehended by
police when they seek treatment at a local hospital.
But don't think the stories are all clean little tales of good over
evil. The most striking common theme is the extreme brutality
that criminals apply to their innocent victims. Lawbreakers willing
to commit a crime like a home invasion robbery are fully
prepared to mete out extreme physical violence or death. Their
disregard for their victims is chillingly inhuman.
Many of the victims in these stories suffered terrible wounds, but
still found the courage to fight back. Gunfights are desperate, life
and death affairs that almost always occur when the intended
victim least expects it.
A speaker at the original Million Mom March once said: "If
someone comes at you with a knife or gun, say, 'I know you're
upset.' We all want to be valued as human beings." The sheer
lunacy of that statement will be dreadfully apparent after reading
"Guns Save Lives."
One horrific case describes the ordeal of a woman who survived
a vicious knife attack by a convicted murderer/rapist in her
home. Severely wounded and bleeding, she struggled to remove
a trigger lock from her handgun while her 11-year old son fought
heroically with the intruder. Shooting the man did more than
simply save two lives, it prevented the untold pain and suffering
of his future victims.
Almost all of the attackers in these stories were on parole,
probation, or were released early. Criminologists tell us that a
small minority of repeat offenders commits the overwhelming
majority of crimes. The average serial rapist, for example, strikes
twenty times before he is caught or killed.
Many future crimes are prevented when one of these predators
is shot by an intended victim. When he is shot, there is little
doubt about his guilt. If he survives, there isn't much chance that
he will escape justice, no matter what legal maneuvers are
applied.
Waters reports that he has over 6,000 armed self-defense
incidents in his files and many are available on line through
"Operation Self Defense." (http:
//www.keepandbeararms.com/opsd/default.asp) They are
primarily gleaned from local news reports, since the national
media maintains a de-facto blackout on self-defense stories.
Media decision-makers would have us believe that such stories
are of no interest to a national audience, but we are also told that
the networks are hungry for stories with emotion and human
interest. The refusal to acknowledge these dramatic events
understandably draws charges of media bias
Thanks to Waters and his supporters, we may eventually see
more armed self-defense stories in the national media.
Journalists, news-oriented web sites, politicians, and scholars
subscribe to his email list that distributes reports of recent
incidents.
How many lives could be saved if the national media reversed
course and began covering armed self-defense stories? Crime
rates might plummet as thousands of rapists and burglars sought
safer careers. Network news ratings would soar as viewers
found something more inspiring than the usual diet of celebrities
and scandal.
"Guns Save Lives" should be available soon from Amazon.com
or immediately from the publisher. After you and your friends
have enjoyed reading it, pass it on to a local television news
producer or newspaper editor.
Dr. Michael S. Brown is an optometrist and member of Doctors
for Sensible Gun Laws (http://www.dsgl.org/). Email the author
at rkba2000@yahoo.com
Enter Stage Right - http://www.enterstageright.com